Victoria Monét: R&B’s next icon, wowed the audience at Royale Boston!

Victoria Monét may be new to the spotlight, but she’s not new to scoring chart-topping songs.  Born in Atlanta and raised in Sacramento, the creative began her songwriting career in 2014.

The 34-year-old singer-songwriter has worked with household names such as Nas and Ariana Grande, along with BLACKPINK, Fifth Harmony, Coco Jones, and more. In 2020, the accomplished songwriter was nominated for three Grammy Awards for her work with Ariana Grande and Chloe x Halle. These include Album Of The Year as a producer and songwriter on Grande’s ‘Thank U, Next,’ Record Of The Year for ‘7 Rings,’ and Best R&B Song as a co-writer of Chloe x Halle’s, ‘Do It.’  For the 2024 Grammys, Monét has been nominated for seven awards including:

Best New Artist
Record of the Year
Best R&B Song for “On My Mama,”
Best R&B Performance for “How Does It Make You Feel”
Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Hollywood,” with Earth, Wind & Fire and Hazel Monét
Best R&B Album
Best Engineered

Her debut studio album Jaguar II is the highest charted Billboard 200 entry upon release at number 60, and it’s not hard to see why. Her intricate and feminine verses exude confidence and authenticity and combine modern R&B with elements of 70’s funk, with features from Reggae legend Buju Banton, Kaytranda, and Lucky Daye.

On Monday October 30, Monét showed the Royale Boston audience everything they wanted and more. The show started around 8 p.m. with DMV native Alex Vaughn, who combined her powerful and silky smooth voice with her charismatic stage presence. She mesmerized the audience, who swayed along to her melodic tunes. Vaughn is a part of Spotify’s R&B Rising’s Artists To Watch list in 2023.

Alex Vaughn at Royale – Boston.

Vaughn performed her debut album The Hurtbook, which contains plenty of songs about breakups, hence the name. Whether it be a friendship breakup or an ex wanting to come back, it explores the challenges of relationships, love, and passion. Vaughn likens to Summer Walker’s musical energy. She incorporates alluring and authentic lyrics about love and heartbreak, with cut-throat lyrics, giving listeners an intimate look into her life. My favorite parts of her set were when she performed “So Be It,” and “Do You Ever,” and told a story about her ex, encouraging the audience to never settle for less.

Victoria Monét at Royale Boston

The execution of this tour is similar to what you would expect from a stadium tour from SZA or Beyonce. She began the show with a tease, slowly taking off her beige veil. Monét started the concert with “Some Cut,” before transitioning into “Dive.” She increased the energy by singing “Party Girls,” “A** Like That,” and “Stop (Asking Me 4S#yt),” she then started singing her slower songs, “How Does It Make You Feel,” and “We Might Even Be Falling In Love”. She brought the energy back up covering Diana Ross’ song, “Stop In The Name Of Love.” She finished the set with her most famous song that embodies self-assurance and fearless energy, “On My Mama.” Thanking the audience for showing up, sharing her love for Boston, and them, and promising to come back.

Victoria Monét at Royale Boston

Throughout her performance, she enchantingly danced to these empowering lyrics with two backup dancers giving the audience the 70s glam she channeled into her latest album. She effortlessly switched outfits during her show multiple times, starting with her beige veil, changing into a two-piece bedazzled set with a sarong, and then adding a fedora, again channeling that 70s vibe! She wowed audiences. I wouldn’t be shocked if, in a year or two from now, she sells out stadium tours.

written by Kathia Dawson, WERS, ERS+ Urban Coordinator